Assigned • s.r

Man Down

I was currently getting dressed in my room for the day today. I quickly put my hair up, like usual, and walk out of the door and grab my gun off of the table on my way out. I walk down the hallway, heading to my office. A door opened on the left of me and it was Steve's room. He walked out to lock his door, I gave him a stern look and continued walking. Nat soon started walking beside me and followed me to my office. I sat in my seat and saw Steve heading to the lab.

"I just got done talking to Loki."

"What did he say?" My head shot up.

"We talked about Clint, then I found out his plan."

"Is he alright?"

"By alright you mean out of Loki's little spell, then no, he's not alright."

"Damn it." I whisper. "What's his plan?"

"He's planning on letting out the big guy." She said.

My eyes widened. "How do you know?"

"We had a connection," She smirked and said sarcastically. "That's how he's planning on getting out."

I hear a loud alarm sound go off and everyone in the main area start to talk to Nick about what happened, a little panic in their voices.

"What's going on?" I say, Nat and I make our way out there and I focus on what the computer techs are saying.

"Engine 3 is down."

"Oh my god." I worriedly say and run to the lab, that was near engine 3.

"Steve!?" I yell. I see him on the floor with Tony and I run over to him.

"Are you hurt?" I turn him over and examine their bodies.

"Charlotte." he breathed.

"I'm here." I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Couldn't stay mad at me?"

"Get up, Rogers."

Steve turned to Tony. "Put on the suit."

"Yeah." We all ran out the door.

"Steve," I curiously hold on to his forearm. "What's going on?"

"Loki's starting." He stopped and turned to me, putting his hand over mine for a split second.

"Damn it." I grab my gun out of the holster and walk beside Steve.

"Engine 3," Tony stopped and turned to Steve. "I'll meet you there." Steve quickly went down the hallway, I followed.

"Steve, I'm going with you."

"No, I'm not risking you getting hurt. Stay here."

"You think being in SHIELD makes me safe in general? I was an expert in the highest training in SHIELD, Steve. I've learned almost everything Nat has learned. You have to let me go with you." I say desperately.

"Okay.." he nods after a few seconds.

We both run to engine 3. Steve and I went on the outside of the engine where it had gotten exploded.

"Stark! Stark I'm here!"

"Good, let's see what we've got. We've gotta get the super conducting cooling system back online before it can access the rotors, work on dislodging the debris. I need you to get to that engine control panel and tell me which relays are in overload position." Steve jumps up on top of another part of the engine, I do the same.

"I didn't know you could do that." Steve smirks.

"There's a lot of things you don't know I can do."

"What's it look like in there?" Tony asks. Steve pulls out a slot that was in the wall, glowing in different places.

"It seems to run on some form of electricity."

"Well, You're not wrong."

"Okay, the relays are attached!" Steve says a few moments later.

"What's our next move?" I say.

"Even if I clear the rotors this thing won't re-engage without a jump. I'm gonna have to get in there and push."

"If that thing gets up to speed you'll get shredded." I say.

"That Stayner control unit can reverse the polarity long enough to disengage maglev and-"

"Speak English!" Steve says, I laugh.

"See that red lever? It'll slow the rotors down long enough for me to get out. Stay by it, wait for my word."

Steve gestures me to go first. I step back and run towards the lever, Steve follows.

Two men enter the room with their guns, one of them throws a grenade but Steve jumps and hits it down out of the way. I jump down where the men are and kick one in the face, he groans. Out of the corner of my eye I see a fist coming at me, I dodge it and kick him off of the carrier. Another man was shooting at us from outside of the room and Steve threw a piece of scrap metal at him. I went around the corner and Steve jumped back up on the floor where the red lever was. I pulled my gun out of the holster, Steve and I started shooting at him.

"It's Barton, he's took out our systems, he's headed for the detention level. Does anybody copy?"

"Clint." I let a breath out I didn't know I was holding. Thank god.

"This is Agent Romanoff, I copy."

"Hey girls." I hear Clint say.

"Stark, we're losing altitude." Fury says.

"Yeah, I've noticed." Tony starts to push. 

Steve continues to shoot at the man and as do I. The man  starts to shoot close to Steve's face and he backs up. Steve slips and the next thing I see, he's out of the carrier, holding only onto a thick wire, the only thing keeping him from falling.

My eyes widened. "Steve!"

I see the shooter turn around the corner and I elbow him in the face, he lets go of his gun and reaches to cover his face. I kick him in the knee and he screams. He moves his hands to his knee, I punch him in the head with the back of my knuckles and he knocks out.

"Steve!" I jump on the same level.

"Charlotte I'm here!"

I hear Tony frustratedly scream from the earpiece.

I breath fast, trying to grab the wire but it's too strong for me to pull. While trying to pull him back, I slip and almost fall. Igrabbed onto a sturdy piece to metal and tried pulling myself back up.

"Charlotte!"

"Cap, hit the lever." Tony says.

"I need a minute here!" I look back and see Steve crawl up the rope.

"Lever. Now!" Tony panics.

Steve gets back into the carrier a few seconds later and I hear metal being scraped in my ear. Tony's caught under.
Steve pulls me up and I lean against the carrier wall. Steve pulls the lever and it grows silent. Another shooter came in and started shooting at us, Tony flew in and tackled him to the ground. Steve pulls me near him and we breathe heavily.

"Thank god you're okay."

"You're an affectionate partner." I pant and smile.

"Just making sure you don't get hurt on my watch." He breathes, I smile. A few moments later I hear Fury on the other end of the line.

"Agent Coulson is down." My face goes blank and my mind races.

"Medical team is on its way to your location."

"They're here."

••

"These were in Phil Coulson's jacket," Fury says, with the Captain America Trading Cards in hand. "Guess he never did get you to sign them." Fury threw the cards in front of Steve. I closed my eyes, got up and left. The only people left at the table was Steve, Tony, Maria and Nick.